Vegeta sighed, _from the sounds of it, Radditz is a hard man to bag._ Kakkarot's voice droned on and Vegeta nearly found himself in a light slumber when a barking voice in his ear woke him with a start and enraged blood moved through his veins.

"Kakkarot! What are you doing?" Radditz' eyes were aflame and he bore holes through his brother's head with their heated gaze.

Kakkarot stepped back and held his hands in front of him in defense. "What are you talking about, Radditz? I'm not doing anything, just talking." Realizing his defensive posture he laid his arms to his sides and frowned. "Besides, you're the one who took off with my…my…" Cherise had come up the stairs and stood beside Radditz, a confused and almost lost look on her face.

Radditz grinned at his brother's embarrassment, the anger he felt forgotten for a moment. "Your what?"

Kakkarot's face flushed with color, "with… her." He stepped around Vegeta and grasped Cherise by the arm, dragging her away from his brother. Radditz made a move to tease Kakkarot further when a strong hand pushed on his chest. Radditz stumbled back in surprise and in force. Vegeta growled lightly and stepped in front of Kakkarot as he pulled Cherise closer to him.

"Leave the boy alone."

Radditz looked back and forth between his brother and Vegeta. _What the hell is going on here?! _ "Don't tell me what to do with my own family, Vegeta." Radditz eyes narrowed and an iron vice gripped his chest as he looked at the protectiveness the Ouji was giving to his brother.

"Just do it." Vegeta stepped closer, glaring up at Radditz under heavy brows.

Radditz growled, "Don't you dictate to me, you can barely stand your own family." The room had gone quiet, everyone was staring up at the balcony, an audible whisper rippled through the crowd.

Vegeta shook with anger, his face growing a deep crimson to compete with the shade of his shirt. He grasped Radditz by the throat. "Don't you EVER talk to me that way! I am the prince god dammit! I could kill you with one hand and you won't come back alive next time!" Vegeta's rage ate him from the inside, inner organs feeling shredded. Vegeta let go and stalked halfway to the balcony exit when he turned to the gawking crowd. "What the fuck do you think you're looking at?!" The mass below fell uniformally into a submissive posture and waited for the wraith of Vegeta's furry to leave before they talked amongst themselves.

Kakkarot stood against the wall, mouth agape as he watched Vegeta go and then looked to his brother. "What the hell was that all about?" Radditz didn't appear to hear him as he rubbed at his bruising neck and watched the empty doorway. "Radditz..." His brother turned, his eyes had softened and he looked as though his heart had been trodden. Kakkarot watched him another moment and then to Cherise who gazed at Radditz with a small knowing smile.

"Kakkarot," She leaned close and whispered, "tell him to go." Kakkarot looked at her, still not understanding. "Go on...tell him." She motioned toward Radditz who still stood facing the door.

Kakkarot stepped forward and thumped his brother on the back with the heal of his hand, "Go." Radditz blinked, looking carefully at his brother then to the doorway. He smiled slightly and bowed his head as he walked quickly to the door and dissappeared. Kakkarot watched his brother go in confusion. Cherise sighed, a faraway dreamy look on her face. "What's going on?" Kakkarot scratched the back of his head.

Cherise giggled and slapped him playfully in the arm, "Come on you oaf. I wanna tango." Kakkarot followed after her slowly as she headed for the exit.

"Cherise, they aren't playing the tango....where are you going?" Kakkarot stopped in the doorway and looked around him. A soft tail wrapped around his thigh and gave a demanding tug through the door. Kakkarot grinned, "Ooooh..."

~*~*~*~

Vegeta stalked around in his chambers, stamping his feet hard enough to shake the room but not break the marble he trode on. He was unhappy, in full rage even, but mostly he was crushed. How could Radditz throw back his personal problems in his face, and in front of the entire city! It was none of those idiots business what problems the royal family had. Vegeta stopped in front of his desk and looked hard at the medal that poked through the hard oak. He ran a finger along the edge and let himself lapse back into memory. How had he fallen for the man anyway? _Because he's strong, proud, carefree. Hell, he is an embodiment of what I've want to be. Tall, strong, a proud heritage, a caring father and a nonchalant disposition that makes him an ideal pray._ A clearing throat made him jump and the sharp edge of medal sluiced through his fingerpad.

Radditz stood in the doorway, face slightly flushed and hair shaken about his face and shoulders. Vegeta looked at him from his distance, the scowl plastered on his face hiding the true admiration for the fighter's stature. "What do you want?" Vegeta's voice came more harshly than he had intended and Radditz twtiched slightly.

"Ouji...I..." Radditz was cut off.

"Because if you're here to berate me some more, I can go stand in the middle of the great hall and let you shout it to everyone." Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest which was now heaving again with anger. Radditz face turned crimson and Vegeta waited for him to explode but he didn't. Instead, Radditz shut the door behind him and sat in front of it with his knees pulled to his chest. Vegeta cocked an eyebrow at him preparing to walk toward him when he stood and walked further into the room.

"I'm sorry." Radditz' eyes regarded a wall tapestry, finding it hard to look at Vegeta. Vegeta turned to face him and snorted. At the sound Radditz looked at his feet and then forced himself to look at Vegeta. _Gods..._ A deep yearning pulled through Radditz as he watched Vegeta contemplate his mediocre apology. A small pout had forced its way through Vegeta's stern face, Radditz looked at that full lower lip and almost purred. He took a stepped toward Vegeta, the other watching him cooly before suddenly sucking in a sharp breath and looking at his fingers.

Vegeta looked at his bleeding finger that had been forgotten temporarily, it now stung to high heaven and had bled into his palm. He stuck the angry digit into his mouth and frowned around it. A wafting smell of warm spiced cider enveloped him and he looked up to see Radditz gazing intently at his blood covered hand. Vegeta removed his finger from his mouth to make a snide comment when a calloused hand closed around his and could only watch as Radditz lifted the wounded finger to his face. "What are you..." Vegeta's question was cut off as Radditz pressed his lips firmly over the wound on his finger and lightly licked the split pad.

Reluctantly Radditz removed the diget and licked Vegeta's palm clean, the rich tang of copper leaving his head feeling light and an insatiable hunger pitted in his stomach. Curling his large paw around Vegeta's he put the hand to his chest and looked again at Vegeta who appeared to be having trouble breathing. "Forgive me, Ouji."

Vegeta resisted a contented sigh and scowled up at the man, though making no move to take back his hand. "Don't patronize me. I'm not your brother."

The corner of Radditz' mouth curled and a sharp canine glistened, "That you are not." Vegeta grunted, then again in surprise as thick tail wound its way around his waist, pulling him closer.

Vegeta put his free hand on Radditz' chest, "What do you think you're doing?" As he glared up into onyx eyes, they slitted and a warm mouth covered his own. Taken aback, Vegeta began to push away when a crafty tongue weaseled it's way into his mouth. It moved slow at first, carefully learning each contour of the now welcoming mouth, then more forcefully as the Ouji joined his own tongue into the action. The taste of his own blood on Radditz' lips made Vegeta's head spin slowly. The hand he intended to push him away with, now curled tightly into the uniform and pulled the mammoth down lower into a deeper kiss. A low moan moved through Radditz chest and was felt under the Ouji's fingers. Radditz pulled away, a little short of breath and looked at Vegeta's kiss swollen lips with a deep sated hunger.

"How dare you...." Vegeta's voice was a deep husky whisper. Radditz heart raced and head reeled as he tried to find a proper excuse when Vegeta grasped either side of his face between warm palms. Vegeta gave a crooked smirk, "You were not told to stop."


~*~*~*~


a/n: Do you smell that?? smells like.... citrus?? Definite yaoi next chapter. don't abandon me yet. ~Nnif -.-